Machine for making articles, such as display covers from thin plastic sheet material



C. E. MAYNARD ETAL MACHINE FOR MAKING ARTICLES, SUCH AS DISPLAY Sept. 5, 1950 2,521,388

COVERS FROM THIN PLASTIC SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 22, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS D M m m R .1 i m m Ai II! A. 2 155% Jim iil im 1. W1? m Li W 5 W m o ILF i 4 .1 Him A 0 2 I um. %m. A, \QM A III I w u J Zn ll 4 T $W 5Q :1 x v a Hr w \3 g MQN 1% Q T N a I, W ||u WW .6: W m x I O r 1 no Add 1 3 w? J v \M 1 n a \v av R I w\\ Me mw G u \N. Q1 k, 4 N A Q g Q Gusmrsoxv v E Ys Sept. 5, 1950 c E MAYNARD ET AL 2,521,388

MACHINE FOR MAKING ARTICLES, SUCH As DISPLAY COVERS FROM THIN PLASTIC SHEET MATERIAL Filed'Sept. 22, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

INVENTOR 67m RLEJ I'm RNA mama AMI laws if. Guam rso/v BY (14 4mm- A TORN YS Sept. 5, 1950 c. E. MAYNARD ETAL MACHINE FOR MAKING ARTICLES, SUCH AS DISPLAY COVERS FROM THIN PLASTIC SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 22, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet} INVENTORS' 6714mm Emmy/17mm AND Z: :w: 6'. G

Sept. 5, 1950 c. E. MAYNARD ETAL 2,521,388

MACHINE FOR MAKING ARTICLES, SUCHAS DISPLAY COVERS FROM THIN PLASTIC SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 22, 1948 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS Sept. 5, 1950 c. E. MAYNARD ET AL 2,521,388

MACHINE FOR MAKING ARTICLES, SUCH AS DISPLAY COVERS FROM THIN PLASTIC SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 22, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY Mafia? ATTO NEY incited sea. 5', 1950. 2,521,388

TMACHINE'FQR MAKING AnnoLEssIlQHAs DISPLAY COVERS FROM IIHIN iPrAstuc SHEET 'MTERIAL eqharles Edgar Maynard, Florenc ziand Lewjs H.

Gustafson, Northampton, ,Mass gassignors sto fPito-PhyLaceTic -Brush iCompany, Florenc, '.'M&SS., a. corporation of Delaware sApplication?September 22, 1948, Serial Na -50,486

' 3 Claims. (01.48 1 9) This inventionrelates 4 to; improvements in machinesto form covers or hoods of ornamental plastic material of thetype :used in makingitransparent display paekages :for retail sellin of '12 land astop piate a supported from the base.. p1ate by suprortinea pe fi-ra d fi th r bvnuts .5. n eylinder Bkrnonnted on thetop platei-i3 slid- ,ably qan ies 3,,. .pis1;@n i:' ,1;;.vvhichv is. fixeda piston merchandise. 5 rod fi. erqd 8 gmay. lideifreely inazborein Thesgeneral purposestvof this invention, and late iwhenksogurgedoby thenaction of structnreiand mode of operation of .the. machine fiuidipress ireon the piston fl; .andis attached lt'o described. are the same as, those disclosed in our akcentraloylinden platetdbymmeansf of an adapter .copending -application Serial No. 716,014,. filed De- 45. ;A 'e plate) H'Lis,v fixed lto p1ate.9. cember;13,'.1946. 10 iP latefi also'ghas moiintedi-onit fluid operated flhe .particular purpose of .this invention is to aqylinder's hi2 .,-s1idably cia'rrying .thereinipis'tor-i's 1.3 .provide anewiand improved clamping .device that withpistonrods' M' Whichslide Ithroughboresjh yvill allow a-snbstantialspeeding npnofltheoperap 1ates3 and,- 1:]. .These piston rods areattached time: the machine as-well, as provide otherde- {to clampin mamas. The cylinders, 12 are. ,syn'- sirablefeaturesWhich will be'i fullydisclosed. with 15 chroni'zed" in operation withicylinder ,5, ,as will reference to the accompanying drawings and later heiiullyk described, toopera'te in such amanpointe'd outintheclaims hea en theinpi'ston rods IE will'follcwtheicenter ijln'thedrawings; V piston;rod.;8;onjitsnp strokemandrwill precede it Figrl'is a side' View of the machine o'n. itsfidown estroke.

isawiew looking from the 'right end of 2 ,While only; two. cylinders [2 have been indicated Fig. 1; inlthejdrawings, itmaylbedesirablejinsome cases --'-Fig. 3"-is -a vieW--1o'oking-fromthe opposite .side tohave a' dditional ones to,m,or;e evenly distribute oi-Fig; 1 of parts on'that'si'de to distinguish'from pressureu-onthe clampingplate 15 or to .add to partsseen-in the-upper ieft haridportion-of-the another advantageonsffeatnre of the twocy'linview i-n'-'Fig.'-1; ders; i..e."to,a11ow pressures of different 'ma Fig. 4 is a-vieW of the machine with some parts tilde ,tojoe .exert ed ,on di'fierent portions of the broken-awayand some in section toindicate the clamping pl'ateiwand permit controlled slippage of relative position of tools during the hood shaping each ,porti on of the material under the. clamp. step; Twocylindershwill, however, provide this 'featiire Fig. '5 is a detail viewind-icati-ngpart of the to lainisiibstantial degree as ,wellas bestjprovide mechanism for cutting "off a portionof the sheet otheri importantffeatures of the present invenplastic materiaL iorthe-shaping tools 'ofFig. 4; tion, greatly speeding 11p the "operation. ofthe Fig: 6 is a formal view of -thehood shaped from machine, improving "the quality of the product the flat-sheet materiaL but-before trimming; and almost entirely eliminating rejects caused --Fig.'-7L isa formal view' ofa hoodmuch longer ,35 from lack of'po'sitive'clamping. than it is wide-and =of a' drawn depth-about equal -'A' convenientarrangement"for piping the'fluid to its -width, to indicate-atransparent hoodmade tothelcylindersisshowninFig,10. CIy-I-irrrzle'rs'- l2 from sheet plastic material of .about ten thouare connected-together above their-pistons I3 by sandths inch thickness; 1 V a" low pressure conduit" l6 which is in turn con- :Fig. 8 is a diagran'ii-to-dndicate.a:heatingv plan 40 n'e'c tedw'ith a soleneid-operated'four-Way valved-"I. for partsfifithelmachine; Cylinders iZ -arecQnnectedat theirbases byja -Fig. -9 isasomewhat diagrammaticview of-the highipfes gurejcgndflit i3 al ted wit -th machine iridicating theioperation of applying.air fqur ay-valve fl. j'Flnid' is-suppliedto thefour blasts' to free the hoodirom its shapingtooland wa ifgl -i7;. .-5 e ma supply conduit, and blowliit to oneside toareceiving bin ibeforei starth' p g i v l -19 --A mg anmher-"Cycle-of operation? hanst'lin'e R 'c-onnectsthejfour-Way valve-l'lwith 10.13 a :diagrammatic viewi to dis'close how th =fl d irv if ttheznewand improvedcclainpingz device is elech mp ed clamping-means can be--more trical'ly q-and i hydraulically c n t vfor l'full completely-{describedand '-best -understood' after automamcfopemmomwlm theemachmmeand the operation andothernomenclature of--*the :Fig. 11- is flarview indicatingmanuallyadj -ustm hi g -hg -tgbd d i known able pressure reducing valves added to'the fluid "A die 20 depends from the plate ll, fixed. i ne' a p Plate y thereto,as' by screws2L -Fig. 4, and is formed to f-Referlingi o- F gs- 1,. 2 andof the drawin the shape of the hood cavity to lee-produced, being a-sit'and I'Ebears a irameaconsis'tingof a' base plate deeper for thehood of-Fig." 7 than for the hood'of '39 and 40 (Fig. 3).

Fig. 6. The clamping plate I5 lies below the plate II. The clamping plate I5 has an opening machined therein to permit the die 20 to extend from the plate i I through the plate I5 when said plate is held in its uppermost position by fluid pressure in cylinders I2 (from high pressure conduit I8) acting against pistons 13, piston rods I4 being attached to the clamping plate I5.

Beneath the center plunger assembly, and positioned in co-operating relationship therewith, a

draw plate 3! is borne by supports 32 which are fixed to the base plate 2. The draw plate 31 is fixed to the supports 32 as by bolts 33 and has a machined aperture 34 to receive the die 20 and a heated sheet of plastic material which is drawn to an overlying position on the draw plate 3I by feeding means to be described later.

Extending rearwardly from the top plate 3 and as viewed from the left of Fig. 1, left and right brackets 35 and 36 of web feed mechanism are attached to plate 3 by screws 31 and support a reel of fiexible sheet plastic material 38, and feed rolls The reel 38 is borne by shaft 4i which is rotatably mounted on rollers 42 of an anti-friction reel mounting 43. A suitable braking device may be used to frictionally restrain the reel 39 against overfeeding after the feed rolls 39 and 40 have come to rest. Such a device could have many forms, for example that indicated by number 44 in Fig. 3 in which a collar 45 pinned to the shaft 4! is held between a hinged brake shoe 46 and a slidable shoe 41. Pressure is exerted on the collar 45 by the hinged shoe 46 through a wing nut 43 and by the slidable shoe 41 through a thumb screw 49.

The feed rolls 39 and 40, Fig. 3, are driven, through suitable gearing to be described later, by a rack 50 slidable in a slotted rack guide 5I mounted on bracket 52 which is fixed to, and therefore reciprocates with, the central cylinder plate 9. The rack slot in guide 5I extends from a lower stop 54 to a cap 55 secured to the rack guide 5 l A screw 56 threaded through the cap 55 provides an adjustable upper stop for the rack 50. As plate 9 descends (from the position shown in Fig. 1) carrying with it the rack guide 5|, the rack 50 is held stationary by an idler gear 51 with which it is in mesh until the upper stop screw 56 contacts the upper end of rack 50 and drives it downwardly during the remainder of the stroke of the center cylinder plate 9. Variations in the amount of sheet unrolled may be obtained by using racks of different lengths.

The idler gear 51 is journaled in the left hand bracket 35 and co-operates with a gear 59 to drive a shaft 60 through a unidirectional clutch 6E. The shaft 60 is suitably journaled in left hand bracket 35 at one end and right hand bracket 36 at the other end, and projects beyond its right hand bearing to fixedly receive a gear 62. The brackets 35 and 36 have depending projections 63 and 64 which have slots at 65 that contain slides 66 to receive slidable bearing members 61 in which the feed rolls 39 and 40 are mounted. The feed rolls 39 and 40 are positioned by screws 68 and are held in contact by springs 69. Pressure between the rolls 39 and 40 may be varied by means of adjusting screws 10 which bear on springs 69. Rolls 39 and 40 are driven by the gear 62 fixed to shaft 60 through the intermediate gears 1! and 12, Fig. 1. Brackets 35 and 36 are supported on rods 13 which extend from sockets 15 on the brackets.

Sheet plastic material, indicated by the letter w, is unrolled from the reel 38 by the action described above, passing over feed roll 39, Fig. 3, and back between rolls 39 and 40 to fold loosely over a platform 16. The platform 16 is supported by brackets 16' on the rods 13. The web w passes between upper and lower heater plates 11, which are preferably kept at a constant temperature by electrical heating means indicated at 11', Fig. 8, or by the circulation of temperature control fluid through cored or drilled passages, not shown. The heater plates 11 are adjustably mounted on supports 18.

The free end of the web to normally extends beyond the plates 11 sufficiently to provide a grabbing surface for a pair of laterally disposed feed jaws 19, one near the left hand edge of the free end of web 112, the other near the right hand edge. The feed jaws 19 at properly timed intervals grasp the free end of the web w which protrudes beyond the inner edges of the heater plates 11 and draw the sheet material over the draw plate 3|.

Two feed bars 93 are reciprccated at timed intervals by an air cylinder and piston assembly through drive levers and a countershaft mechanism. A more detailed description of the feed jaw devices and their operation is contained in our copending application Serial No. 716,014.

The feed bars 93 have blocks I03 .pivotally fixed to them by pivot pins I04, Fig. 4, said blocks being held in slides I05 machined in the upper end of feed levers I06. The feed levers I06 are keyed to a cross shaft I01 which is mounted in bearings I03 fixed to the auxiliary platform 99 by screws I09, Fig. 1. The cross shaft I01 is driven by a drive lever III] which extends through a slotted extension I I I of a piston rod II2, Fig. 4. A sliding block I I3 is rotatably pinned within a slot I I4 in the extension III and is guided by slides II5 machined in the drive lever H0. The extension If! is supported by a guide bracket H6. A stop collar III limits the travel of the feed rod II2 by butting the guide bracket I I6. A variety of feeds may be obtained by varying the thickness of the stop collar I I1. The piston rod I I2 is driven by a piston H8, Fig. 1, contained in air cylinder II9.

Mechanism for extending a movable knife I blade to a cutting position under the web w adjacent to the draw plate 3|, as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5, is also driven from cross shaft I01. Keyed to and driven by the shaft I01 are cranks 520 which carry blocks I2I rotatably fixed thereto, Fig. i. The blocks I2I are adapted to receive the threaded end I22 of a knif actuating rod I23 which extends below the die plate 3I through openings I 24 in the supporting webs I25 of the die plate supports 32, as shown in Fig. 4. The rod I23, Figs. 4 and 5, has a turned down portion I23 adapted to slidably receive a sleeve I26 (Fig. 5) pinned to a forked lever I21. Stop collars I29 and I29 fixed to the rod portion I23 limit the sliding motion of the sleeve I26 on slide portion I23. The forked lever I21 is fixed on a stub shaft I30 journaled on one side in a casing I3I and on the other in cap I32 of the casing i3I. The shaft I 30 carries a pinion I33 fixed thereto which co-operates with a rack portion E34 of a knife support I35. A pin I36 is fixed to the outer end of stub shaft I30 and serves as a hook on which to anchor one end of a tension spring 531. The other end of spring I31 is hooked to a screw eye I38 fixed to the bas of the casing I3! at I39. The action of spring I31 on the shaft I39 and the pinion I33 is such that as the rod I23 is withdrawn from the position e'gmigess sliowh ihsmgt the puii 6f the-sprmg: M 1 oii th'e pimwezotates the Show one pinion assembly oountemicckwise: The: forked lever I 21: follows stop W9 uniiil the upper end Of'the knife strikes al stop M vizh'ich is adjust- 93313: mounted on-the -upper' heal-ti-hg'plate- LT. As I2? is turthenretfiected the portion I 23? 1-fdfi1i1611g1 thesis-eve Ffi unti1'prevented from mmae'z trmei by we sh-op I 28=.- Thus the knife summit is"- positively he'liiin its: upper" position lhi'tfil the action: of the-rod I23 retain-mg pos'ition showr imug. 1 r turns the knife I35 155 its lowenposition through the S'Gtifi of the" Ievr' I 2-1 the pinion Iii-3 mm fieE-IM; I

kififeholiier III is" threauieclto a; stud M 2 mounted the knife suppoit I 35. spi fiig'c M3 provides flexibility for" thekifi-fe fiioimtiiig end 'sefivesto maintain it at its exfidfed positriofi; A Knife bltde" Mil-is mounted a 'n'ife'holder m to ao-o pefiz'tte with an fii-fetime: I 4'6' fi$edt6- the clampihg" plate I 5, Fi geg to-c'ut off tliat portionof web over iyingmhe: di 'aw 'lstte 3 I when the clamping-- plate I?! descends-w hold the'she'et of plastic material fi1 'iia1y to the crew plate: I

Electrical control elements" or devices of well commerciat forms are put in the coinbi'r-iegtioit of themachine of our invention; They ii ielizde a; start and stopbut-ton switch, timers 011 t elements,- solenoids and limit switches: A ll ha e been indicated only diagrammatically toillust'flat their ffi'n'ctio'n iii the control circuit meant-emetic p'owerop'eration of the ma chine Shbwln The-pneumatic control 'devices'consis't of valves alternately Opfieand close'cl by the Solenoids I whensaid sol'enbidsare electrically-activated by thetiming elements or limit switches; and a pair ofj 'sgflhg loaded diaphragm val'veswhich a'lt'erhotel-y inti oduce" and exhaust pressure fluicl to tliefltop zind Eottom'p0rtsofthe' die reciprocating oylihdi v "I fiemecheni'sm' and its controls; which have been slio'wn diagrammatically in Fig. 10; will now; bedescribed in: det'agilfi- In th'e-diegram the mechani'sha andEoonttolshaiW been shown in' their raster cycle-startingposition. when the male" die-assembly, see-dieZII} is 'in its: uppermost ppsitiong. Iihfifis'witches- HI 'I- and I48 which 8T6 fixed te He-top: plate-3 offlthemainframe; ar held-- opemty th'e cylihd'er plate 9': The limitswitch- I 41 ismohne'cteefiby; a 1ead Ifl' to-o'ne branch I o'fi -th'e suppIy-line-amd b'y le'ald' I-5I- to-a--lin'e I52 which co'I-irieets" the open side of a--s'witch I5'-3-' ofie terminal of a timing' element' I-54 i n-- o'iiereltion whet-1 the start button ca of the"- sviitch I33 is pressed and-held; the contzictb of the-switeh; which -isconnected to supply line I50 touches-contacts \c and d-ehergi'zinglines I 52 and I58; respectively. \ivh'eri pressure to button w io-released, contacts b and. d are held together to? presetting to dettmi ma the time; which contacts I51 and I59 staytogth The spring 5F returns the toit's; origihal position zit-the erlcl of the predetermined time ihtef'vEF. The-parts indicated in djet f Ce" I5 rem-sin in position shown even though circuitthrough lines I 52 arirf l ss remaims closed, until thi's cii cfli't to the device is opne'd and a ain: closed. sortof time switch device is welt know-11* per se. The reset meohaiiismcontained the device, and not showflthe diagram; eats-to reset the tiI-niii'g d'vicefdi reeycling sothat when the control cir eiiiii tfifb'figh I 52 and -I55 is closed succeedin eycleis'startedi I when contact I51 0? device [51 against ce'titact I59 the following circuitis established? contact I51 to the contact d'{ofsiwitch I53E com t'ie't? I 59 by line-13mm line |6" l "1td ilig to solefie'i'd dp'el ifi'df F0111 way val ve 111 fi'oiffl the" lat to' 'lihe r56 by leaf I62; and Contact d through contact E to line- I50; This results ihenergi'zing solenoid operated fbiir way vawe- I'F solenoid operated fires'siire rediic'ihg valve I3 is also electrically conne'cted to lines- I 6 and I 63 by lines [63" and W4 respectively. the aboV-edesbribed circuit is made the solenoid of valve F9 is e'nergiZed and operates the-valvetofediicethe firessur of" fliiid pass-h1g thrbtigh' thevalve from the msiin fiiiid pfessur'e' conduit FGSWia; conduit F69; The low pressure fl'uicitki'eri passes fifor'n velve I 9 Bycohtiuit I65, through the four vetlve -I I -irit"o conduit w th the too of cyliiiders I-2 eXeItihg fluid pressure-on pistons I3 to drive tHe-c'Hmping" plate- I 5 dowhward" into clamping position:- H

l'aitch-e while" contacts Hand 0' are pushed 1 the upper end of cylinder 6*by' pipe line" I821;

while valve" I18 is connectedto the lowef'e'rid of cylinder s'iby pil'a'e I83. Thevalves 117 and-3118i valve I18 opens the line I83 and the lower end 7 These diaphragm valves for this type of function are well known.

Limit switch I48 fixed to top plate 3, and held open by plate 9, as has been described before, is connected to branch 159 of the electrical supply line by a lead I94, and to a solenoid I95 by a lead I89. The electrical circuit to the solenoid I85 is completed by a lead I8I to branch I56 of the supply. The solenoid I85 controlsan air valve I99 which is connected to air pressure supply line I'i i by pipe line I99 and exha-usts through .pipe line I99. The valve I88 alternately connects the forward end of feed cylinder I I9 to air pressure line I89 or to exhaust line I99 through a line I9I, and introduces or exhausts pressure to the rear end of cylinder II9 through a line I92.

. A third limit switch I99 supported by bracket 91 and held closed by a lug I94 carried by lever arm I99 on shaft I9! is connected to supply branch I59 by line I95 and to one terminal of a second timing element or device I95 by line I9'I. The second terminal of timing element I95 is connected to supply line branch I55 by line I99. A contact I99 controlled by timing element I96 is connected to supply line I59 by lead 299 and connects with a contact 29I for a predetermined interval of time when the circuit to the timer I95 is closed. The timing element or device I95 is similar to timing element or device I54 in its general operation with regard to time switch control function, for its circuits. A solenoid 292 is connected to contact 29I by a lead 293 and to supply line I55 by lead 294. The solenoid 292 controls an air valve 295 which is open to air under pressure through line 296. A pipe 25? connects valve 295 with an air nozzle 299 which directs an air jet in a line approximately parallel with the top of die plate 3|, and to a nozzle 299 which directs a jet of air approximately parallel to the front side of punch 29. The nozzle 299 is flexibly connected to line 29! to provide for the travel of the die assembly.

' The timing device I96 has a third contact 2I9 whichais connected to one terminal of a switch 2II by lead 2I2. A second terminal of the switch 2II is connected to lead I52. When switch 2H is open the machine will operate for one cycle and stop. When it is closed, as in the dotted line position in Fig. 19, line I52 will be connected to the supply line I59, by line 299, contact I99, contact 2H], line 2I2 and the switch 2I I. Since the circuit to timing element device I54 is completed by line I52 the effect will be that when switch 2II is closed the timing element device I54 will become energized when the movable arm 2 of timing element device I99 returns to its rest position.

The operation of the machine will now be described with reierence to all drawings and to Fig. 10 in particular. With the machine elements in the position illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, if the start button aof switch I53 is pressed, contact b touches contacts and d in the switch connecting the power source, through line I59, to lines I52 and I59. Line I52 now connects timing motor h of the timing element I55 to one side I59 of the power supply, and since the motor of box it is permanently connected to the other side I56 of the power supply by line I55 the timing motor is now energized, and moves arm 2 so that contact I51 strikes contact I59 and a circuit is made through line I58, arm 1, contacts I57 and I59 to line I55 and through valve I? to power line I59. The arm 1' will remain in this position for a preset interval of time and then return to thepositionof Fig.10, as has been explained earlier. The meeting of contacts I57 and I59 energizes the solenoid of pressure reducing valve I9 which reduces the pressure of fluid coming from the main supply conduit I55 and allowsthe fluid to pass at lower pressure to solenoid operated four way valve H, the solenoid of which is also energized, so that the valve I? is open for hydraulic pressure fluid from supply I95 to reach the upper end of cylinders I2 and move the clamping plate I5 downward toward clamping position. At this point, motor 71. of timing device III], which was energized by the closing of switch I53, slightly before contacts I51 and I59 of timer I54 came together to move contacts I19 and I59 apart, times out? andallows spring 7' to bring contacts I79 and I69 oi timer I61 back together. This energizes solenoid I12, valve I73 is shifted to its intake position and control air under pressure flows through line I79 to diaphragm valves Il and H8 reversing these valves so that hydraulic pressure fluid from supply I65 now flows through valve I'I I and pipe I82 to the upper end of cylinder 9, and the valve I18 connected with the lower end of the cylinder 6 by pipe I93 is open to the exhaust line IBI. The piston I starts downward carrying with it the die assembly. Almost immediately after the die assembly starts its downward travel (approximately inch of travel), the actuating buttons of the limit switches I4I and I49 are released closing both switches. Limit switch I47 connects line I59 and line I52 so that it is no longer necessary to hold switch contacts 0 and d together and the start button a may be released. 7 The other side of switch I53, that is, that to which line I59 is connected, is locked in contact and may only be released by pressing the stop button 9 of the switch.

When the die assembly starts downwardly the rack 59, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, drives the feed rolls 39 and 49 through the clutch 9i and gearing previously described, which action strips from the reel 38 a predetermined unit quantity of sheet plastic material. The rack 59 is freely slidable in the guide 5| an amount limited by the position of adjustable stop 59 and the distance the rack 59 is driven by guide 5i after the rack 59 is engaged by the stop 55 determines the amount of sheet material unrolled regardless of the length of the piston stroke. The unrolled sheet plastic material remains loosely folded over platform I6 and extends between the heater plates I7, Fig. l.

Returning to Fig. 10, the limit switch I48 which with limit switch I4! is closed when the die assembly starts to descend energizes the solenoid I85 which reverses valve I58 and introduces air under pressure to the front end of feed cylinder H9 through pipe I89 and I9I and connects the rear end to exhaust through pipe I93 and I99. The piston H3 is driven to the opposite end of cylinder II9, as in Fig. 4, carrying with it the rod I I2 and the slotted connection I I I. The lever II9 rotates the shaft I97 and levers I96. This results in the retraction of the pair of feed jaws '59 by sliding blocks I93 and feed bars 93, Fig. 4, and since the free end of the sheet plastic material is protruding through the heater plates 1'! and is firmly clamped by feed jaws I9, the sheet material is drawn through the heater plates over the draw plate 3| leased when the pivoted jaw of each of the feed jaws I9 strikes the stop rods I99 (Fig. 4:) and is pivoted to its release position. The stop rods I99 are slidably held in their normally extended posi- The free end of web w is re-.

stant. There is another heating circuit 29' turned on and off by a thermostat I02 sensitive to the temperature of male die part 20 to hold the temperature of this part substantially constant. There is another heating circuit I turned on and off by a thermostat I03 sensitive to the temperature of clamp plate IE to hold this plate temperature substantially constant. There is another heating circuit 3| turned on and off by a thermostat I04 sensitive to the temperature of draw plate to hold this plate temperature substantially constant. Under the heating plan indicated or an equivalent one the temperature of the sheet plastic material is made one that will draw best when it is drawn by the machine. For example the oven 11 may give the sheet the right drawing temperature and the other machine parts thereafter contacting the sheet heated just enough to avoid heat loss until the sheet is drawn. Or the heat can be more gradu ally added to the sheet it being important that the sheet being drawn is carefully guarded against a marring chill and be of the right drawing softness when it is drawn.

The plan of Fig. 8 is diagrammatic only. It is sometimes useful, particularly in working plastic material, to use fluids in cored passages of tool parts to control the temperature of the plastic for working it. There is the advantage that any tendency of overheating can be corrected by mixing hot and cold fluid to get the right tool temperature speedily. The electrical heating plan lends itself better to a simple diagram sufficient for the purpose of this disclosure.

There are some particularly important things to do in providing for practicing the invention and especially important when the depth of drawing begins to or substantially exceeds one half the Width of the article being made, as is indicated in the article of Fig. '7 when the depth 7c 3= and width Z are about equal. Referring to Fig. 4, the two openings one in each of the two clamping plates l 5 and 35 throu h which the former or male die 2!! passes, should be most carefully dimensioned with respect to the thickness of the sheet plastic material, i. e. the work piece, shown in the relation of the parts in Fig. 4. Of course the male die part will be deeper when the article of Fig. 7 is made. The dimensions should be made in all dies and especially the deep die forms, to provide a very small clearance between the sheet plastic material and the opening in the female clamping plate 3i. For example, in forming sheet material to make successive hoods, the

thickness will vary a little. Suppose it is between 1- .001 and .002 of an inch. Then the openings in plates l5 and 3! should be made as close as possible to be sure to provide for such variation but otherwise omit all clearance between the material and plate 3!, as seen in Fig. 4. One fault in prior efforts to draw hoods of satisfactory finished appearance, especially the deep hoods of Fig. '7, is in providing for too great clearance between the draw plate and die. Of course there are practical difficulties in getting extremely close dimensions. The important thing is to consider the requirements of providing for variations in sheet plastic thickness. It is available commercially with variations of a very few thousandths of an inch. When care is taken to provide the space corresponding to that seen in Fig. 4 as filled with material of the article being made, between part 28 and plate 8|, to accommodate variations of a very few thousandths of an inch in the sheet material and as f ir possible avoid additional clearance the proper practice will be followed. As a practical matter the degree of clearance can be kept within a range of a very few thousandths of an inch and this appears to be a condition for the most successful work in any hood and one essential for making deep hoods. much larger clearances heretofore provided in the proposals and attempts to draw fine appearing hoods whose depth is anywhere near or beyond one half their width in relative dimensions.

Another important provision in operating the method by machine work to get an economical commercial operation is this. Referring to the drawings, the flat plastic sheet is initially heated in the oven. It then moves to lie on the draw plate. This plate is heated and kept at a substantially constant temperature. The sheet is engaged between the hold down plate [5 and draw plate 3|. This plate 3| is also heated and kept at a substantially constant temperature. The sheet is then engaged by the forming die 20. This die is also heated and kept at a substantially constant temperature. Thus the sheet properly heated to that softness suitable for drawing is not chilled. It is neither overheated nor underheated but its drawing softness effectively pro vided for and guarded until the sheet is drawn to finished hood form. This is a critical thing because if the material is anywhere underheated in the area drawn there is a strain which frequently tears or wrinkles it. If the material is anywhere overheated in the area drawn there is a high liability and frequent occurrence for the sheet to be given pock-marked areas or blemishes in the finished article making it unsatisfactory for its intended use.

Another important provision is to maintain a definite and uniform. pressure at the edge margin of the material, i. e. the margin of material engaged between plates 15 and 3!, as the material is drawn through the drawing plate opening. When the material starts to be formed over the male die, it must be slightly stretched and at the same time itmust be allowed to slip from underneath the hold. down plate just the right amount and this can be provided for onl by properly guarded uniform pressure on the edge of the material. The fluid pressure system for controlling the clamping plate herein disclosed gives the operator of the machine a chance to adjust the clamping pressure to any degree desired and once adjusted assures all pieces will be uniformly held. It may be desirable when drawing shapes of odd form to have more more material slip under one side of the clamping plate than under another. This feature can be easily provided in the system disclosed by the simple addition of manually controlled pressure control valves V (Fig. 11) in each of the two branches of line i6 which supplies fluid to the top of cylinders [2. This will allow the operator to vary the pressure applied to the material, should this be desired, by applying slight pressure on one side or corner only and not the other side or corners.

The new and useful way of applyingpressure for clamping the material will give the machine great flexibilit in operation and substantially speed up the machine.

Having fully disclosed our invention, we claim:

1. A machine to make hoods from sheet plastic material comprising in combination, a horizontally arranged draw plate having an opening with an edge corresponding to a base line of a It is in contrast to very- 13 hood, a roll support adapted to hold a roll of plastic sheet material, a web support for the material, power driven means adapted to intermittently draw portions of material off its roll and put it on the web support in loose web condition, an open ended oven in position for the web to pass through toward said draw plate, web feeding means including power driving means to feed the forward end of the web intermittently to draw one part into the oven and another heated part from the oven across the draw plate to cover its opening, web cutting means to cut a blank of predetermined length from the heated part of the web, a clamping plate and fluid operated cylinders and pistons, said pistons each connected to and bearing on different portions of the clamping plate to apply predetermined clamping pressures on diiTerent parts of the plate to press the margin of the heated cut web part around the draw plate opening so as to permit controlled slipping of each portion of the heated cut web part, power tool reciprocating means mounted above the draw plate opening, a drawing tool, in the shape of a core cor-responding to a hood cavity, such tool carried by said reciprocating means, the aforesaid elements being operable under power for repeated cycles of operation, to draw @a heated sheet portion from the oven, cut a blank of predetertally arranged draw plate having an opening with an edge corresponding to a base line of a hood, a roll support adapted to hold a roll of plastic sheet material, a web support for the material, power driven means adapted to intermittently draw portions of material off its roll and put it on the web support in loose web condition, an

open ended oven in position for the web to pass through toward said draw plate, web feeding means including power driving means to feed the forward end of the web intermittently to draw one part into the oven and another heated part from the oven across the draw plate to cover its opening, web cutting means .to shear oiT the portion of web covering the draw plate opening, a clamping plate and fluid operated mechanism, to apply a predetermined clamping pressure on said plate to press the margin of the heated out part around the draw plate opening, power tool reciprocating means mounted above the draw plate opening, a drawing tool, in the shape of a core corresponding to a hood cavity, such tool carried by said reciprocating means, the aforesaid elements being operable under power for repeated cycles of operation, to draw a heated sheet portion from the oven, cut it ofi from the continuous web, clamp it over the draw plate opening, move the drawing tool against the plastic material and draw the latter to hood form while the matepressed condition by the clamping means, air

blast means adapted to blow aside the cut-off portion clear of the drawing tool after the latter has operated and hold down clamping means has been released.

3. A machine to make hoods from sheet. plastic material comprising in combination, a horizontally arranged draw plate having an opening with an edge corresponding to a base line of a hood, a roll support adapted to hold a roll of plastic sheet material, a web support for the material, power driven means adapted to intermittently draw portions of material off its roll and put it on the web support in loose web condition, an open ended oven in position for the web to pass through toward said draw plate, web feeding means including power driving means to feed the forward end. of the web intermittently to draw one part into the oven and another heated part from the oven across the draw plate to cover its opening, web cutting means to sever the heated part when said part is in position across the draw plate opening, a clamping plate and a plurality of fluid operated cyiinders and pistons, said pistons being connected to the clamping plate in spaced relation around its periphery to move the plate into and out of clamp-- ing position and to exert predetermined clamping pressures on different portions of the plate to pressthe margin of the heated out part of the web around the draw plate opening when the plate is in clamping position, power tool reciprocating means mounted above the draw plate opening, a drawing tool, in the shape of a core corresponding to a hood cavity such tool carried by said reciprocating means, the aforesaid elements being operable under power for repeated cycles of operation, to draw a heated sheet portion from the oven, sever it from the continuous web, clamp this blank over the draw plate opening, move the drawing tool against the plastic material and draw the latter to hood form while the material at the edges of the opening is held fiat by the clamping means to permit controlled slipping, air blast means to blow the cutoff drawn portion to one side of the drawing tool after the latter operates and such cut oil portion is unclamped, and power operated timing means for controlling the sequence in the power operation of said elements whereby the machine is adapted for fully automatic operation to make hoods one after another, except in relation to replacing exhausted spools of the sheet plastic material.

CHARLES EDGAR MAYNARD.

LEWIS H. GUSTAFSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,181,964 Bohlman May 2, 1916 2,229,613 Strauch Jan. 21, 1941 2,255,116 Helmstaedter Sept. 9, 1941 2,418,874 Gary, Jr. Apr. 15, 1947 2,442,338 Borkland June 1, 1948 

